Job 36
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Elihu Exalts God’s Goodness
36 Elihu continued and said:
2 “Bear with me a little, and I will show you,
for I have yet something to say on God’s behalf.
3 I will bring my knowledge from far away
and ascribe righteousness to my Maker.(A)
4 For truly my words are not false;
one who is perfect in knowledge is with you.(B)
5 “Surely God is mighty and does not despise any;
he is mighty in strength of understanding.(C)
6 He does not keep the wicked alive
but gives the afflicted their right.(D)
7 He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous,
but with kings on the throne
he sets them forever, and they are exalted.(E)
8 And if they are bound in fetters
and caught in the cords of affliction,
9 then he declares to them their work
and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.(F)
10 He opens their ears to instruction
and commands that they return from iniquity.(G)
11 If they listen and serve him,
they complete their days in prosperity
and their years in pleasantness.(H)
12 But if they do not listen, they shall perish by the sword
and die without knowledge.(I)
13 “The godless in heart cherish anger;
they do not cry for help when he binds them.(J)
14 They die in their youth,
and their life ends in shame.[a](K)
15 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction
and opens their ear by adversity.(L)
16 He also allured you out of distress
into a broad place where there was no constraint,
and what was set on your table was full of fatness.(M)
17 “But you are obsessed with the case of the wicked;
judgment and justice seize you.
18 Beware that wrath does not entice you into scoffing,
and do not let the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.(N)
19 Will your cry avail to keep you from distress,
or will all the force of your strength?
20 Do not long for the night,
when peoples are cut off in their place.(O)
21 Beware! Do not turn to iniquity;
because of that you have been tried by affliction.(P)
22 See, God is exalted in his power;
who is a teacher like him?
23 Who has prescribed for him his way,
or who can say, ‘You have done wrong’?(Q)
Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty
24 “Remember to extol his work,
of which mortals have sung.(R)
25 All people have looked on it;
everyone watches it from far away.
26 Surely God is great, and we do not know him;
the number of his years is unsearchable.(S)
27 For he draws up the drops of water;
he distills[b] his mist in rain,(T)
28 which the skies pour down
and drop upon mortals abundantly.
29 Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds,
the thunderings of his pavilion?(U)
30 See, he scatters his lightning around him
and covers the roots of the sea.
31 For by these he governs peoples;
he gives food in abundance.(V)
32 He covers his hands with the lightning
and commands it to strike the mark.(W)
33 Its crashing[c] tells about him;
he is jealous[d] with anger against iniquity.(X)
Job 36
Evangelical Heritage Version
36 Elihu kept talking and said:
2 Be patient with me a little longer.
I intend to inform you further,
since I have more to say on God’s behalf.
3 I will provide you with comprehensive knowledge,
and I will justify my Maker.
4 You can be sure that none of my words are false.
A man with complete knowledge is here with you.
5 Yes, God is mighty, but he does not despise people.
He is mighty and has great understanding.[a]
6 He does not keep a wicked man alive,
but he does give justice to the oppressed.
7 He does not turn his eyes away from the righteous.
He seats them on thrones with kings
and exalts them forever.
8 But if people are bound in chains,
and they are held captive by cords of affliction,
9 he declares to them what they have done—
how arrogantly they have committed rebellious deeds.
10 He opens their ears to accept discipline,[b]
and he tells them to turn back from wickedness.
11 If they listen and serve him,
they will complete their days in prosperity,
and their years will end in pleasure.
12 But if they do not listen,
they will be overwhelmed by a stream.[c]
They will breathe their last without knowledge.
13 Godless hearts nourish anger.
They do not cry out for help even when he imprisons them.
14 Their souls die while they are still young,
and they end their lives among the male prostitutes at their shrines.
15 God delivers the afflicted by means of their affliction,
and he gets their attention through their suffering.
16 Certainly he is drawing you out of the jaws of distress
to a wide-open place, where you will not be hemmed in.
You will be comfortable at your table covered with rich food.
17 But now you are caught up with the judgment of the wicked,
and judgment and justice have taken hold of you.
18 Watch out, so that no one lures you with luxury.
Do not let a large payment turn you aside.
19 Can your affluence arrange for your security,
so that you do not suffer want?
Can even your strongest efforts accomplish that?
20 Do not long for night time, when nations vanish from their place.[d]
21 Watch out. Do not turn to evil,
because that is why you have been tested by affliction.[e]
22 Listen to me. God is exalted in his power.
Who is a teacher like him?
23 Who has dictated his way for him?
Who has said, “You have done wrong”?
24 Remember that you should praise his work,
which people have celebrated in song.
25 All mankind has observed it.
People can look at it from a distance.
26 Yes, God is exalted far beyond our comprehension.
The number of his years is beyond investigation.
27 He draws up drops of water from the sea,
and he distills the raindrops to form mist,
28 which flow down from the clouds
and pour down abundantly on mankind.
29 Indeed, who understands how the clouds spread out?
Who understands how the thunder rumbles out from his shelter?
30 Look how he spreads his light[f] all around him,
and he covers the bottom[g] of the sea.
31 He uses this to bring judgment on peoples
and to provide abundant food.
32 With his hands he grasps the lightning,
and he gives it orders as it advances.
33 Through the thunder he sounds his war cry.
The herds sense the coming of the rising storm.[h]
Footnotes
- Job 36:5 Or resolve
- Job 36:10 Or correction
- Job 36:12 Or weapon
- Job 36:20 The meaning of this verse is uncertain.
- Job 36:21 Or though you seem to prefer it to affliction. The meaning of this verse is uncertain.
- Job 36:30 Or lightning. In Job the same word is used for both light and lightning.
- Job 36:30 Literally the roots
- Job 36:33 The meaning of this line is uncertain.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.